Interior Design

Boutique Coffee Shop Style Design

curated coffee shop atmosphere right in your own home. This is my favorite corner of my apartment now—where I start every morning. I spent a lot of time figuring out what actually makes a space feel like those small independent coffee shops, not like a generic café chain. It comes down to a few key elements: the right wall color, vintage furniture, warm lighting, and those little details that look effortless but aren't. how I did mine.

There is something about a well-designed coffee shop that makes you want to stay for hours. I noticed this when I lived in Portland for a couple of years. My regular spot was a tiny place on Division Street called Either/Or. Twelve seats, maybe. Exposed brick, mismatched wooden chairs, and a marble counter that was probably salvaged from an old bakery. I spent so many weekend mornings there that when I moved to a new city, I decided to recreate that feeling at home.

Since then, I've helped friends do the same thing in their apartments. you don't need a big budget or a lot of space. My coffee corner is about 50 square feet. I'm going to share exactly what I bought, where I got it, and what I learned along the way.

How to design a boutique coffee shop corner

Wondering how to get that artisan coffee shop look without hiring an interior designer? layering a few intentional choices. You can skip the first two sections if you're renting and can't paint or change lighting fixtures.

The wall color sets the whole mood, but you can use removable wallpaper if you rent.

Furniture doesn't need to match. In fact, it shouldn't.

Choose a paint color: I went with a deep green called "Hunter Green" from Benjamin Moore. A lot of boutique coffee shops use either dark green, warm terracotta, or a creamy off-white. I painted just one accent wall—the one behind where I put the coffee setup. Two coats, about three hours total.

Find your anchor piece: For me, this was a vintage wooden cabinet I found on Facebook Marketplace for $125. It had some scratches . That wear is part of the look. This cabinet holds my espresso machine on top and stores mugs and coffee beans inside.

A corner with warm lighting, plants, and a ceramic mug on a wooden surface

"The best part about doing this yourself is that you can adjust everything to your actual habits. If you drink pour-over every day, set up your corner around a kettle and dripper. If you're an espresso person like me, make sure there's enough counter depth for your machine. You're building this for your real life, not for photos."

Boutique Coffee Shop Corner

(My Actual Setup)

3 Weekends Prep

$610–830 Budget

4×4 ft Space Needed

This setup is based on the coffee shops I loved in Portland and Brooklyn. The furniture is mostly secondhand, the lighting is warm, and the details are what make it feel finished. If you're renting, I've included alternatives for things like paint and lighting.

Main Elements

▪ 1 accent wall in a deep, warm color (or peel-and-stick wallpaper)
▪ 1 vintage cabinet or console table, 36–48 inches wide
▪ 2 mismatched chairs or stools
▪ 1–2 pendant lights with exposed bulbs
▪ 1 medium plant (I use a fiddle leaf fig)
▪ 3–4 ceramic mugs, ideally handmade-looking
▪ 1 small rug, 3×5 feet, muted pattern

Coffee Equipment

▪ Espresso machine (mine is a Breville Bambino, $311)
▪ Grinder (Baratza Encore, $152)
▪ Electric kettle with gooseneck spout, for pour-over days

Instructions

Paint your accent wall

If you choose to paint, pick one wall only—the one that will be behind your setup. Use a matte or eggshell finish. I did two coats of Benjamin Moore Hunter Green. For renters, Tempaper and Chasing Paper make peel-and-stick wallpaper in similar tones.

Find furniture secondhand

Check Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and local estate sales. I spent about four weekends looking before I found my cabinet. Search terms that worked for me: "vintage buffet," "mid century credenza," "antique shop counter." Don't worry about perfect condition. Scratches, patina, and worn edges look right for this style.

Install warm lighting

my corner more than anything else. I replaced the overhead fixture with two brass pendant lights from Etsy, $51 each. The bulbs matter too—I use 2700K LED bulbs, which give that warm amber glow. Anything above 3000K will look too clinical.

Add one or two chairs

I have two chairs that don't match. One is a rattan accent chair from a thrift store, $35. The other is a simple wooden stool I already owned. Coffee shops rarely have matching furniture. The mix makes it feel collected over time.

Place a rug

This defines the corner and adds warmth. I got a 3×5 Turkish-style rug from Target for $60. The colors are muted—faded reds, cream, a little blue. Busy patterns work as long as the colors aren't bright.

Style the surface

On top of my cabinet: espresso machine on the left, a small wooden tray holding the grinder and a canister of beans, and a single plant on the right. I keep a stack of three ceramic mugs next to the machine. On the wall above, I hung one framed print—a simple line drawing of a coffee cup that I got from a local art fair.

Add the small details

A few things that make it feel finished: a small dish for used spoons, a glass jar of sugar cubes, a linen towel folded next to the machine. These are the things you see at nice coffee shops but don't always think about.

Notes

Wall color

If green feels too bold, try "Accessible Beige" by Sherwin-Williams or "White Dove" by Benjamin Moore. Both are popular in coffee shops going for a lighter Scandinavian look.

Furniture

If you can't find secondhand pieces, IKEA's Hemnes series works. It's not vintage, but the proportions are right. You can add vintage brass pulls to make it look less generic.

Lighting

If you can't change fixtures, use plug-in pendant lights or a large table lamp with a warm bulb. Target and Amazon both have plug-in pendants under $40.

Plants

Low-maintenance options include pothos, snake plants, or ZZ plants. They need a lot of light.

Budget breakdown

My total was around $730. Paint and supplies: $60. Cabinet: $121. Chairs: $55 total. Lighting: $127 including bulbs. Rug: $60. Decor and plants: $80. Coffee equipment was separate—I already had most of it.

What's the difference between coffee shop style and industrial style?

People mix these up a lot. Industrial style uses metal, concrete, and black accents—think exposed ductwork and Edison bulbs. It can feel cold. Boutique coffee shop style is warmer. Yes, there might be some exposed brick or reclaimed wood, but the overall feeling is softer. More plants. More texture. Colors that aren't just gray and black. Handmade ceramics instead of mass-produced metal mugs.

The easiest way to tell the difference: industrial spaces feel like converted factories. Boutique coffee shop spaces feel like someone's very cool living room where they happen to serve excellent coffee.